Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
After my sister’s breakup, she ran off to a snowy mountain to end her life.
Julian, my fiancé, and I rushed into the freezing wilderness to find her.
Julian reached her first.
They survived a brutal blizzard huddled together inside a cramped snow cave.
From that moment on, Luna developed an obsessive savior complex toward Julian, falling hopelessly in love with him.
She clung to him relentlessly, threatening suicide multiple times. Julian used to look at her with pure disgust whenever her name came up.
"Serena, if she weren't your sister, I wouldn't care if she lived or died."
On our wedding day, Luna left a suicide note and vanished again.
The usually composed Julian panicked. He halted the ceremony on the spot and dragged me along to search for her.
Luna had been drugged by human traffickers. I managed to save her, but I was knocked unconscious and dragged away into the dark.
Three years later, when the police finally tracked me down, I was broken, traumatized, and barely human.
Julian hated her for it. Day and night, he forced her onto her knees beside my hospital bed, making her atone, spitting the most venomous words at her.
Yet the moment Luna stood on the window ledge, crying, "I'll trade my life for Serena's,"
Panic washed over his face. Trembling, he pulled her into his arms, desperately whispering her name over and over.
"Luna, you owe Serena and me a debt you can never repay in this lifetime. I haven't allowed you to die—who gave you permission?!"
They clung to each other right before my bed. Neither of them noticed that I had opened my eyes, a single silent tear slipping down my cheek.
When Julian saw me wake up, he shoved Luna away and rushed to my side.
"Serena? You're awake?"
Pale-faced, I managed a weak smile.
"Julian. Long time no see."
His eyes instantly reddened, and he wrapped me in a tight embrace.
"Serena, you've suffered so much these past three years. It's all my fault. I should have found you sooner."
I looked at Julian's profile.
Three years. He hadn't changed at all.
Except the luxury watch I once gave him was gone, replaced by a cheap red braided bracelet with a rabbit charm.
Luna was born in the year of the rabbit; it was her lucky charm.
Julian followed my gaze and opened his mouth to explain, but Luna stepped forward, looking aggrieved.
"Serena, I forced Julian to wear this red string. If you want to blame someone, blame me."
Julian glanced sideways at me.
"You think Serena is as petty as you? Luna, stop making these useless trinkets. The house is running out of room for your clutter."
He called it useless junk, yet he made no move to take it off.
Julian used to be an obsessive perfectionist who hated clutter, yet he tolerated Luna filling our home with her cheap little crafts.
I lowered my gaze.
So three years really were enough to rewrite a man's habits.
Seeing my silence, Julian poured me a glass of warm water and shot a look at Luna.
"Serena just woke up. Go buy some of that warm oatmeal she loves."
I closed my eyes.
"Julian, I'm allergic to oats."
Julian froze, hurriedly grabbing my hand.
"I'm sorry, Serena. You were gone for three years... I mixed it up."
"What do you want to eat?"
I casually said pancakes and black coffee, and Julian let out a sigh of relief.
Once the room was quiet and Luna left, Julian sat silently beside me.
I looked out the hospital window. Skyscraper cranes dominated the skyline where empty fields used to be.
Just like Julian, who used to share every fleeting thought with me, had now distributed all his passion, temper, and grief to another woman. Between us, only a suffocating silence remained.
Just as I was about to break the ice, Julian's phone rang.
After hanging up, he looked at me with an apologetic expression.
"Serena, you just woke up, and I should stay."
"But Luna says she got into a car accident. The other driver is aggressive, and she's terrified. I need to handle it right now."
"The discharge paperwork is done. I called an Uber for you. Go home first, okay?"
Memories of being shoved into a van three years ago flashed across my mind. Shivering violently, I tugged at Julian's sleeve.
"Julian... I'm scared."
He gently stroked my hair.
"Be good. You know how reckless your sister can be. If I get there late, God knows what trouble she'll cause."
"I'll be back tonight for dinner."
The door clicked shut. Watching his retreating back, my eyes stung.
I thought back to the interrupted wedding three years ago.
Once again, he had chosen Luna over me.
I returned to the house Julian and I had decorated together before our wedding.
I unlocked the door. Everything inside looked identical to three years ago. Even the desk calendar on the coffee table was frozen on the date of our wedding.
As if that tragedy had never happened.
I opened the fridge. It was completely empty.
Opening DoorDash, I ordered Julian's favorite steaks and seafood to cook a proper dinner.
I called Julian, asking when he would be back.
He kept saying "soon." But even after I reheated the food three times, he never showed up.
Silently, I scraped the meal I spent two hours making into the trash and went to take a shower.
Suddenly, violent pounding shook the front door.
Through the peephole, I saw a man with a jagged scar across his face—just like the man who had abducted me.
My knees gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor. Trembling, I pulled out my old phone and dialed the number etched into my memory.
"Julian, where are you?"
His voice on the other end was groggy, as if he had just woken from sleep.
"What? I'm home."
The banging on the door grew louder, along with muffled curses. Tears spilled down my cheeks.
"Which home, Julian?"Twenty minutes later, Julian burst through the door, out of breath.
He knelt at my feet, wrapping me in his arms, his eyes brimming with guilt and agony.
"Serena, I'm so sorry. I'm late..."
I shoved him away with all my might.
"Don't touch me!"
Julian froze.
I buried my head in my arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Don't hit me... please. I'll behave, I'll be good..."
Pain flickered in his eyes.
He carefully took my hand and pulled me back into his chest.
"Serena, that was just a drunk neighbor from upstairs. I already warned him."
"The monsters who hurt you are all behind bars now."
"Don't be afraid. I'll stay by your side. We'll start over together."
Under his soothing whispers, I slowly calmed down.
"Julian, can our wedding start over too?"
He stiffened for a second, then smoothed my hair.
"Of course. Tomorrow, I'll take you to try on wedding dresses again."
The next morning, Julian pulled his car up outside the building.
As I approached, Luna poked her head out from the passenger seat.
"Serena, I get carsick easily, so I'm used to the front. You don't mind, right?"
My fingers paused on the door handle. I shook my head and climbed into the back.
Once inside, Julian immediately dialed the AC down to sixty-five degrees.
Not seventy degrees, which I preferred.
During those three years, I had to wash clothes in freezing water, leaving me with severe cold sensitivity.
The icy air blasted directly onto me, and I couldn't stop shivering.
Luna turned around from the front and handed me a plush Disney blanket.
"Cold, Serena? Here, use this."
"I always like the AC blasting, so Julian called me dramatic and bought this blanket for me."
I raised my hand to take it.
Suddenly, Julian grabbed Luna's wrist.
"You're on your period and feeling awful. If you get cold and throw another tantrum, I'm not dealing with it."
My hand hung midair. I pulled it back, fingernails digging into my palms.
In the past, my cycle was irregular.
Julian tracked every date in an app on his phone, knowing my schedule better than I did.
Yet now, he had completely forgotten that today was also the start of my period.
I pulled my hands into my sleeves, riding in silence all the way to the bridal boutique.
The sales associate greeted us warmly.
"Miss Luna, you look so young and stunning—you and Mr. Vance make such a gorgeous couple! What kind of dress are you looking for?"
Julian paused, finally noticing me trailing behind them. He quickly pulled me forward.
"We're here for her dress."
The associate gave an awkward laugh and ushered us inside.
Before I could say a word, Luna pointed to a backless gown.
"Serena, you used to have such a beautiful back. This will look amazing on you."
I used to have a smooth back. Now, it was covered in jagged whip scars.
I was about to refuse when Julian stepped in.
"Luna is the orchestra's lead pianist and a public figure now. Don't embarrass her in front of everyone."
Swallowing my pride, I changed into the backless gown and stepped out.
The moment Luna saw me, she covered her mouth in exaggerated shock.
"Oh my god, Serena... those marks on your back... did that creep do all that to you?"
Her voice echoed across the showroom. Every employee and customer turned to stare, whispering among themselves.
I felt stripped bare, a target for humiliation. I turned to flee back into the fitting room.
Luna grabbed my wrist, tears welling in her eyes.
"Serena, don't you like the dress I picked for you?"
I tried to shake off her grip, but she theatrically fell to the floor, bursting into tears.
"I was just trying to help! Why did you push me?!"
Seeing this, Julian shoved me aside and rushed to help Luna up.
"Serena! You've crossed the line today. Apologize to Luna right now!"
I looked up, meeting Luna's triumphant smirk.
"Julian, did you not hear what she just said?"
Julian frowned.
"She spoke without thinking, but that doesn't give you the right to get physical."
A bitter chill settled over my heart.
"And what if I say I didn't push her?"
Julian's face darkened with disappointment.
"Then stay here and reflect on what you've done."
With that, he walked out with Luna, leaving me behind.
I limped out of the bridal shop just as torrential rain poured from the sky.
Soaked to the bone, I made my way home. My phone sat completely silent—no calls, no texts, no concern.
I took the framed photo of Julian and me by the entryway and dropped it into the trash can.
Then, I dialed an international number.
"Professor Hayes, is the principal pianist position at the Vienna Black Swan Orchestra still open?"Professor Hayes sounded thrilled.
"Of course! You were my brightest student. I've kept that spot open for three whole years, praying you'd come back."
Tears welled in my eyes at his words, but looking down at my scarred, trembling hands, I hesitated.
"But... my hands..."
Professor Hayes gently interrupted me.
"I know what happened to you."
"I believe in your talent and resilience. You will heal, and you will stand on that stage again."
His belief gave me the strength I needed. I booked a one-way ticket to Austria for next week.
The next morning, clattering noises in the kitchen woke me up.
Julian had returned at some point. When I walked out, he was making breakfast.
He carefully carried over a glass of milk, his eyes filled with remorse.
"Serena, I'm sorry about yesterday. I lost my temper."
"Let's go to the orchestra hall today. I'll help you reclaim the three years you lost."
"What do you say?"
Remembering I still had personal belongings at the hall, I nodded.
After breakfast, Julian drove his new car, casually updating me on the company and orchestra changes over the past three years.
His phone buzzed nonstop. He was no longer the awkward boy I once knew; he commanded respect and bantered smoothly with elite executives.
A memory surfaced unbidden.
Three years ago, when his startup finally took off and I was named lead pianist of the city orchestra.
He had held me tight and promised:
"Serena, we're going to conquer the world together."
Now, looking at the gleaming new plaque of the orchestra and the sea of unfamiliar faces,
I finally realized: everyone had moved on.
I was the only one stranded in the past.
Julian patted my head.
"After your incident, I told the board to keep a position for you. You might not be able to play the piano right now, but you can manage the archives and files."
As he spoke, he glanced at the busy backstage crew and frowned.
"What are you all rehearsing?"
Luna walked out, smiling as she slipped her arm through Julian's.
"Julian, did you forget? We're rehearsing "Nocturne"!"
Hearing that title, my mind froze.
"Nocturne"? Which "Nocturne"?"
Luna averted her eyes guiltily, while a girl next to her sneered at me.
"Who's this? Another nepotism hire? You don't even know "Nocturne" is Luna's award-winning masterpiece?"
A roar of static filled my ears.
"Nocturne" was the piece I spent three years writing in memory of my late mother.
It held every drop of my soul and blood.
In this entire world, besides me, the only person who had ever seen the sheet music was Julian.
I took a deep, trembling breath.
"Julian, don't you owe me an explanation?"
Julian pulled me aside and lowered his voice.
"Serena, your sister needed a breakthrough piece to secure her spot as lead soloist. I had no choice."
"I'll have her apologize to you later. Don't blow this out of proportion."
I stared at Julian in disbelief, my eyes burning red.
A casual apology in exchange for three years of my life's work?
My last shred of hope dissolved into ashes. I whipped out my phone to retrieve my original manuscript files to file a copyright strike.
Yet no matter how frantically I searched the shared cloud drive, the folders were completely wiped.
Julian gently grasped my wrist.
"Serena, stop wasting your energy. I already deleted all the drafts."
"You don't need a music career anymore. You have me."
"To make it up to you, I'll give you the most lavish wedding this city has ever seen."
A wedding?
Did he really think I still wanted it?
My trembling hand swung across his cheek with a resounding crack.
"Julian, you sicken me."
"We're done."Grabbing my bag, I stormed out of the concert hall without looking back.
I immediately rescheduled my flight to Vienna for tomorrow morning.
Then, I spent the afternoon organizing evidence of Julian and Luna's plagiarism.
Julian had deleted the cloud files, yes.
Back then, I had created a private secondary account with timestamped drafts and audio recordings.
I compiled everything and submitted an official report to the International Music Copyright Committee.
Julian was quick to find out. When he called, his voice was laced with exhaustion and irritation.
"Serena, do you really have to humiliate us like this?"
I replied coldly, "You two humiliated yourselves. Not me."
Julian tried to argue, but I hung up.
Soon after, Luna showed up at my door, tossing an ultrasound report onto the table.
"Serena, I know you hate me."
"But what can I do? I'm pregnant. This baby needs a father."
"If you're smart, you'll walk away. We can still be family."
I looked at the date on the report.
It was dated the very night I was rescued.
A wave of nausea hit me so hard I dry-heaved.
"Want to know why he did it that night, Serena?" Luna sneered.
"Julian told me that whenever he looked at you, he could only picture you being defiled by those vile men for three years."
"He found you repulsive. So I had to comfort him."
"Slap!"
My palm crashed into Luna's cheek.
"Luna, the biggest mistake of my life was saving you that day."
I walked out of the café.
Just as I packed my luggage and hailed a cab to the airport, Julian cut me off, forced me into his car, and dragged me to the hospital.
"Serena, why did you hit Luna?!"
"She's having complications and threatened with a miscarriage! You have to apologize right now!"
I let out a bitter, mocking laugh.
"While I was suffering in hell, she stole my career, my music, and slept with my fiancé."
"Now you expect me to apologize? Who do you think you are?"
Cornered, Julian snapped in defensive fury.
"Serena, can you honestly swear no man touched you during those three years?!"
He knew that was the deepest, most agonizing wound in my soul.
Yet he ripped it wide open without hesitation.
At that moment, the Julian who had once loved me died completely.
Realizing what he had said, Julian softened his tone, trying to backpedal.
"Luna's baby will be your child too."
"Just apologize, and we can still be a happy family."
A family?
My phone buzzed with my flight check-in alert.
"There is no "we," Julian."
"Tonight, I'm leaving for Vienna."
To avoid wasting any more time, I said softly, "Fine. I'll apologize."
Julian was stunned, not expecting me to give in so easily.
I walked up to Luna's hospital bed.
"I shouldn't have pushed you today. I'm sorry."
"You win."
Then I turned to Julian.
"Satisfied?"
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked straight out toward the airport.
Luna bit her lip, clutching Julian's sleeve.
"Julian, is she really angry with me?"
"It's fine. She's just throwing a tantrum. A little coaxing will fix it."
Julian said the words, but a sudden, suffocating panic squeezed his chest at the finality in my eyes.
He realized he had gone too far. He needed to make it right.
He drove straight to the bakery by our college campus that I used to love.
The old baker recognized him.
"Hey! Visiting alone today? Where's Serena?"
Julian held the pastry box and smiled.
"She's mad at me. I'm taking these home to make peace."
Julian arrived at our house with the box of pastries, pushing open the door with a smile.
"Serena—"
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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